


A Christmas Interlude

by HeidiW



Category: Tomb Raider - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-11
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-06 03:59:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5402228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeidiW/pseuds/HeidiW
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a first draft "sneak peek" excerpt from a new fic currently in development - posted here to get back on pfangirl's Xmas card list ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Christmas Interlude

The slowly falling flakes were thick and heavy, coating the shoulders and beanies of the two young women as they walked among the snowy cathedral of pines and aspen. Elsie marvelled at the utter peace of their surroundings, the densely falling cotton balls seeming to muffle any sound. Not a breath of wind stirred the branches: they were in a true winter wonderland. 

And best of all, she was experiencing it with Lara. They could be wading through a stinking cesspool of rotting rodent husks and Elsie would still be giddy.

Life was good.

The brunette was slowly ambled about in a vaguely zigzag pattern, seemingly determined to touch the outstretched branches of every tree lining their path. Elsie's heart warmed at the sight -- for a moment at least, Lara seemed to have rediscovered her inner child.

_God, she's adorable like this..._

The blonde slowed her pace, allowing the archaeologist to pull a short distance ahead. Once Lara had wandered on sufficiently Elsie dropped to her haunches and packed together a pair of snowy spheres, each roughly the size of her fist.

She got to her feet and took careful aim.

The first snowball struck a glancing blow against the back of the brunette's shoulder.

"Hey!"

Lara spun around, gaping open-mouthed at the blonde. "So that's it, is it?" shot back the Englishwoman. "Attacking an unsuspecting victim at Christmas...how typically colonial."

Elsie cocked her arm.

"Don't you dare!" barked Lara, pointing to her companion warningly. "We're not bloody ten year-olds pla--"

She ducked as Elsie's snowy projectile passed through the space previously occupied by her head, landing a few yards behind her.

The archaeologist slowly straightened back up. The two young women gazed at each other in silence, the blonde sporting a mischievous grin.

"You realize, of course," recited Lara ominously, "This means war."

Lara dropped to one knee and plunged her hands in the snow. Elsie didn't need a Spidey-sense to figure out what was coming.

_Oh crap! Ammo!!_

The blonde dropped frantically packed together enough material for a fresh barrage before jumping back to her feet, sporting a newly-crafted snowball in each outstretched hand. 

"I have not yet BEGUN to fi--"

Her face exploded in a blast of hard-packed snow and slush. The force of the impact was such that she toppled backwards, her astonishment momentarily overriding the stinging pain. Now she knew what Charlie Brown felt like when taking the inevitable line drive back up the pitcher's mound -- she wouldn't be surprised if her boots and socks lay scattered across the snowfield.

_Jeesus!_

Lara's horrified voice: "Shit!! Elsie!!"

In truth, aside from a painful stinging, no real damage had been done. But Elsie was determined to milk it for all it was worth.

She could hear the brunette sprinting towards her; she groaned plaintively.

A moment later gentle hands were quickly sweeping the snow from her face. "Elsie, I'm so sorry!" fussed Lara. "I really thought you'd duck!!"

Elsie slowly opened her eyes. The brunette was crouched directly over her, her features reflecting aghast concern. 

The blonde reached up with a searching hand. "La...Lara?" she whimpered, "Are...are you there?"

The archaeologist's eyes widened so precipitously that it took all of Elsie's willpower to keep from bursting out in laughter.

"Oh no," said Lara, her voice thick with emotion as she frantically brushed residual snow from the blonde's features. "No, no, no, this isn't happening...."

The blonde's fingers brushed Lara's hand and slowly felt along her arm.

"Why can't...I see you? Lara??" she fibbed, lacing her voice with feigned apprehension.

The brunette cupped her hands over her mouth.

"SHIT!! NO!!"

The archaeologist slipped her arms under Elsie's back and legs and lifted her bodily, the blonde wrapping her arms around her companion's neck in surprise. In seconds she was being carried along at a trot, snowy landscape notwithstanding.

"What...what's happening?"

"I'm getting you to a hospital," replied Lara, her voice hoarse. "I'm such an IDIOT!!"

Elsie couldn't hold it in any longer. She tried to swallow her burgeoning guffaw and only partly succeeded, her body quivering noticeably.

Lara came to a sudden stop. Elsie buried her face into the brunette's shoulder in an effort to conceal her mushrooming mirth. But there was no disguising her body's laughter-generated convulsions.

A moment later she was dropped unceremoniously to the ground, the impact of the unexpected landing fortuitously blunted by the layer of freshly-fallen snow.

"Oof!!"

She pushed herself up to a sitting position as Lara marched past her without a word, storming off in the direction of the cottage.

Elsie scrambled to her feet. "Hey...Lara?"

The brunette walked on, her stride long and angry. 

The blonde ran after her companion. "Lara, wait up --"

The brunette whirled on her, hands balled at her sides. "You deceitful little IMP!!"

Elsie froze. There was no hint of amusement in Lara's voice. 

_Shit_. Maybe she _had_ gone too far...

She clasped her hands together behind her back and lowered her gaze to Lara's feet, adopting her best Victorian street urchin mien. It was time for damage control.

"I'm sow-wee..." she said in a tiny voice.

"Oh no," said Lara, shaking her head. "You are NOT doing that to me. So your solution to making me feel guilty for injuring you is to try and guilt me into forgiving you??"

Elsie slowly shuffled up to her companion and leaned her head against Lara's shoulder. "My Wawa doesn't wike me anymore," she pouted sadly.

"Don't even _think_ about playing that card," replied Lara. "Bugger Elsie, you made me think I'd blinded you, do you have ANY idea how that...that made me feel?!"

Lara's voice broke.

Elsie pressed her body to her friend's. "I want my Wawa to wike me again," she cooed while pawing tentatively at Lara's collar. "I wove my Wawa..."

Lara huffed in frustration. "Will you...just..."

Elsie wrapped an arm around the brunette's waist and snuggled closer; Lara responded by clamping her mouth shut and turning her gaze skyward.

"Pwease come back to me?" continued the blonde, nuzzling the underside of Lara's chin. "I weawwy miss my Wawa..."

Lara closed her eyes. "Stop it," she said, her words lacking in conviction.

Elsie slowly traced Lara's jawline with her nose, planting delicate kisses as she went.

"My Wawa," she breathed. 

Elsie could feel the stiffness slowly melting from the archaeologist as she slowly inched closer to the brunette's ear. 

"Won't...work..." gasped Lara as Elsie gently nudged the tip of her nose into the shell of her companion's ear. 

"Wove you...so much," whispered the blonde into the delicate tunnel. Lara shuddered.

"You won't...oh, sod it," panted the brunette in defeat as she finally gave in and wrapped Elsie in a tight hug. "Why is it so bloody hard to stay cross at you?"

Elsie smiled into Lara's cheek. "Because you wike me?"

Lara smiled in return. "Yes," she agreed with a sigh. "Because I wike you."


End file.
